Backs Against the Wall
by shadyvak
Summary: Clare faces the aftermath of her harassment. Will it be too much to handle? My take on next week's promo.


**So, this is my second ever fanfic! Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own.**

Backs Against the Wall

"I _really _do have to go now, Edwards," Eli whispered in Clare's ear, his breath tickling her and earning a soft giggle. He reluctantly began to stand up against the lockers, but Clare grabbed his arm to stop him, locking her seemingly duller blue eyes on his.

"Just one kiss? _Please?_" Clare begged. "I need you."

Eli stood for a second, contemplating Clare's sudden craving for affection. Lately, she had been acting a bit…off, but Eli never questioned it because he didn't want to smother her. He just figured it was the stress of the internship rubbing off on her. But when those big blue eyes stared up at him with such need, and, was it...helplessness?, he couldn't help but want to be or do whatever she wanted.

"Unfortunately, the cast and crew of 'Romeo and Jules' needs me too, and there's only so much of me to go around," Eli replied through a smirk as he offered his hand to Clare. "But for you, Ms. Edwards, I _think_ I can manage one kiss." Before he even had a chance to lean in, Clare had grabbed his shirt and pulled it towards her, forcing his lips against hers. She glided her tongue along his bottom lip and he pulled away in surprise. "Uh-uh-uh Edwards!" Eli exclaimed, shaking his finger at his girlfriend. "Save that for later, I've got a rehearsal to run!"

"Later? Like…tonight?" Clare asked, instantly lighting up.

"Clare, there's so much to do with the musical! It's tech week; it'll be nearly impossible to be coherent for school, let alone spend time with my beautiful girlfriend, even though you know I'd love to," Eli said with a twist of one of Clare's curls. She looked crestfallen and pushed his hand away.

"Musical this! Musical that! Is that ALL you care about? I need you to be with me! It's the only thing that makes me forget!" Her eyes were starting to fill with tears.

Eli instantly tensed. "Clare, what-"

"Forget it! Go to hell, Eli." She walked away without turning back. He was left there, frozen to his spot on the tile, unable to do anything. She had gone from hot to cold in about two seconds, and he had no clue why. She needed to be happy again, and he just hoped his surprise party would help her go back to the old Clare.

Clare was fuming. She knew she had overreacted, but she couldn't help it. Thoughts of Asher were making her crazy.

Whenever Eli was kissing her, she no longer tasted Asher's dirty, strong lips on hers.

Whenever Eli whispered sweet nothings in her ear, she couldn't hear Asher's voice laced with lies.

Whenever Eli stroked her face, Clare did not feel Asher's burning touch on her cheek.

She needed _someone_ to distract her from her own mind, and she just blew up at Eli for no known reason to him. Eli was her remedy to the disease overtaking her life that was Asher. That pang of guilt that was now ever so common settled itself in her stomach. She pulled out her cell phone, ready to send an apology text to Eli when she heard someone approaching her. She hesitantly looked up to an angry Mike Dallas. She had already confronted him today about the article with Eli, Katie, and Jake. "You mess with my friends, you mess with me," she had said curtly and walked away.

"So, we meet again, Clare Edwards, the author of the article crediting _my team_ with the destruction of the pathetic garden Captain Planet and Dragon Tattoo started," Dallas accused.

Clare _so_ did not need this right now. "What do you want? Why don't you just leave my friends and me alone?" Clare asked, bitterness dripping off of every word.

"How about we go have a little chat, shall we?" Dallas took Clare's hand and led her to the drama classroom, littered with old props, sets, and an old couch. "You might want to take a seat."

"What is this all about? There's no use complaining about an article that was already published_._"

Dallas chuckled and shook his head. "It's not that. I want something else, _Newsie._"

Clare's skin was instantly covered in goosebumps at the familiar name. "Don't call me that! How…why…what do you want?" Her voice was laden with fear and her eyes were fogging up with tears.

"Did you even read the rest of the paper that day, Clare? The next page had a special about the Toronto Ice Hounds. I was at the Interpreter getting interviewed for the team, and I just _know _your boss is doing a bit more than mentoring you. I saw him leaning in close, putting his arm around your shoulder, checking you out while you were mindlessly going on about something, do I have to go on?"

Clare couldn't believe her ears. She was almost sobbing at this point, tears flowing freely. "It wasn't like that! He sexually harassed me!"

Dallas put his hands in the air, as if to surrender. "I believe you, but what about that boyfriend of yours? I swear I'll tell the whole school you and Asher have an inappropriate relationship if you don't give me a few things first. I have video evidence." He crossed his arms and looked expectantly at Clare.

"What…what do you want?" She was almost afraid to ask.

"Some photos of you."

"That's it?"

"Naked."

Clare sucked in a tiny breath. Eli could not know. She wasn't pure anymore. She had let Asher kiss her for her career, why shouldn't she give Dallas some photos for the sake of her secret? "Fine," she replied and she choked on her tears, as Dallas leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. Clare could taste the beer on him, but she didn't care. They weren't Asher's lips, so they felt okay. To his surprise, she kissed back. Clare couldn't feel anything besides Asher's taste being taken away, so she was blind to her actions. Kissing was like medicine to her now, and she would take whatever dose to relieve the pain.

Suddenly, there were light footsteps approaching the drama classroom. The door handle turned.

"Dallas?" Dallas pulled away to face the person at the doorway, revealing a broken Clare. Her eyes met the green ones at the doorway, which dripped of sorrow, anger, and confusion.

"Clare?"

"Eli…"


End file.
